Chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) apparatus and methods for detecting polishing pad properties using ultrasonic imaging is presented. An ultrasonic probe assembly transmits ultrasonic signals onto the surface of a polishing pad during a CMP process. Reflected ultrasonic signals are collected and analyzed to monitor polishing pad properties in real-time. This allows CMP process adjustments to be made during the CMP process.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus for monitoring chemical-mechanical polishing pads, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving a chemical-mechanical planarization process recipe; means for polishing a substrate with a polishing pad based on the process recipe; means for transmitting ultrasonic signals onto the surface of the polishing pad while simultaneously polishing the substrate, wherein a portion of the ultrasonic signals are reflected; means for collecting the reflected ultrasonic signals; means for processing the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the processing comprises measuring the reflectivity of the surface of the polishing pad to determine roughness of the polishing pad; and means for adjusting the process recipe based at least in part on the determined roughness of the polishing pad, wherein the adjusting comprises polishing the substrate based on the adjusted process recipe.
2. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for generating a surface topography image based at least in part on the determined roughness of the polishing pad.
3. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for transmitting the ultrasonic signals and the means for collecting the reflected ultrasonic signals comprise contact ultrasonic transducer means.
4. A chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus for monitoring chemical-mechanical polishing pads, the apparatus comprising: means for receiving a chemical-mechanical planarization process recipe selected by a user; means for polishing a substrate with a polishing pad based on the selected process recipe; means for transmitting ultrasonic signals onto the surface of the polishing pad, wherein a portion of the ultrasonic signals are reflected; means for collecting position data for each transmitted ultrasonic signal substantially simultaneously while transmitting the ultrasonic signals; means for collecting the reflected ultrasonic signals; means for correlating the collected position data with the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the correlating comprises measuring the reflectivity of the surface of the polishing pad to determine roughness of the polishing pad; and means for generating a surface topography image using the determined roughness of the polishing pad.
5. Planarization apparatus configured to monitor a polishing pad while polishing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: support means; assembly means movably coupled to the support means for moving a substrate; ultrasonic means fixed to the support means for transmitting ultrasonic signals onto the surface of the polishing pad, wherein a portion of the ultrasonic signals are reflected, and for receiving the reflected ultrasonic signals; amplifier means for amplifying the received reflected ultrasonic signals; and computer means for processing the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the processing comprises measuring the reflectivity of the surface of the polishing pad to determine real-time roughness of the polishing pad.
6. The planarization apparatus of claim 5 further comprising computer means for generating a surface topography image based at least in part on the determined roughness of the polishing pad.
7. A chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus configured to monitor a polishing pad while polishing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: an arm; a head assembly movably coupled to the arm; an ultrasonic probe assembly fixed to the arm and having an ultrasonic source and an ultrasonic detector, wherein: the ultrasonic source is configured to transmit ultrasonic signals onto the surface of the polishing pad, wherein a portion of the ultrasonic signals are reflected; and the ultrasonic detector is configured to receive the reflected ultrasonic signals; an ultrasonic amplifier that amplifies the reflected ultrasonic signals received by the ultrasonic detector; and a computer processor configured process the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the processing comprises measuring the reflectivity of the surface of the polishing pad to determine real-time roughness of the polishing pad.
8. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to generate a surface topography image of the polishing pad based at least in part on the determined real-time roughness of the polishing pad.
9. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to adjust a process recipe based at least in part on the determined real-time roughness of the polishing pad.
10. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 9 wherein the process recipe is a polishing recipe.
11. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 9 wherein the process recipe is a conditioning recipe.
12. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 7 wherein the processor is further configured to issue a notification indicating that the polishing pad requires changing based at least in part on the determined real-time roughness of the polishing pad.
13. A chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus configured to monitor a polishing pad while polishing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: an arm; a head assembly movably coupled to the arm; an ultrasonic probe assembly fixed to the arm and having an ultrasonic source and an ultrasonic detector, wherein: the ultrasonic source is configured to transmit ultrasonic signals onto the surface of the polishing pad, wherein a portion of the ultrasonic signals are reflected; and the ultrasonic detector is configured to receive the reflected ultrasonic signals; an ultrasonic amplifier that amplifies the reflected ultrasonic signals received by the ultrasonic detector; and a computer processor configured to: process the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the processing comprises measuring the reflectivity of the surface of the polishing pad to determine real-time roughness of the polishing pad; generate a surface topography image of the polishing pad based at least in part on the determined real-time roughness of the polishing pad; and adjust a process recipe based at least in part on the determined real-time roughness of the polishing pad and the surface topography image, wherein the adjusting the process recipe comprises polishing the substrate based on the adjusted process recipe.
14. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 13 wherein the process recipe is a polishing recipe.
15. The chemical-mechanical planarization apparatus of claim 13 wherein the process recipe is a conditioning recipe.
16. An apparatus configured to monitor a polishing pad while polishing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: an arm; a head assembly movably coupled to the arm; an ultrasonic probe assembly fixed to the arm and having an ultrasonic source and an ultrasonic detector, wherein: the ultrasonic source is configured to transmit ultrasonic signals onto the surface of the polishing pad, wherein a portion of the ultrasonic signals are reflected; and the ultrasonic detector is configured to receive the reflected ultrasonic signals; an ultrasonic amplifier that amplifies the reflected ultrasonic signals received by the ultrasonic detector; and a computer processor configured process the reflected ultrasonic signals, wherein the processing comprises measuring the reflectivity of the surface of the polishing pad to determine real-time roughness of the polishing pad.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 21, 2004
April 10, 2007
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